Apparatus for the production of knit goods

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for the production of knit goods comprising a needle guiding body having reciprocating loop forming needles and a plurality of trick parts secured thereto. A plurality of the trick parts have a step-like offset bearing plate mounted thereto, one face of which is turned away from the needle guiding body and carries at least one sinker, the opposite facing which is turned towards the needle guiding body bears at least one needle spatially separated from the sinker.

United States Patent 9 Apprich I APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF KNIT GOODS [76] Inventor: Harry Apprlch, Uhlandweg 34, 7305 Altbach/Neckar, Germany [22] Filed: July 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 160,357

[52] US. Cl. 66/106, 66/115 [51] Int. Cl. D04b 15/06, D04b 15/14 [58] Field of Search 66/106, 115, 93, 66/104, 107,147

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,643,472 2/1972 Apprich 66/106 2,403,864 7/1946 Larkin 66/107 1,339,708 5/1920 Lippitt..... 66/106 x 3,613,402 10/1971 Cornas 66/107 3,230,742 1/1966 Roedel 66/107 X [451 Aug. 28, 1973 3,492,837 2/1970 Mountain 66/107 480,043 8/1892 Sedmihradsky.. 66/ 106 X 481,631 8/1892 Lasher 6611.06

1,850,817 3/1932 Swinglehurst. 66/115 632,327 9/1899 Sturgess 66/ 106 Primary Examiner-James Kee Chi Attorney-Fleit, Gipple & Jacobson [5 7] ABSTRACT I An apparatus for the production of knit goods comprising a needle guiding body having reciprocating loop forming needles and a plurality of trick parts secured thereto. A plurality of the trick parts have a'step-like offset bearing plate mounted thereto, one face of which is turned away from the needle guiding body and carries at least one sinker, the opposite facing which is turned towards the needle guiding body bears at least one needle spatially separated from the sinker.

20 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 28, 1973 l0 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2

Fig.1

Patented Aug. 28, 1973 3,754,416

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Patented Aug. 28, 1973 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 4

Patented Aug. 28, 1973 3,754,416

10 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 5

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Patented Aug. 28, 1973 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented Aug. 28, 1973 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented Aug. 28, 1973 3,754,416

10 Sheets-Sheet 9 Fig.16

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF KNIT GOODS The present invention relates to a device for the production of knit goods on a cylinder or other needle guiding bodies, wherein reciprocating loop forming needles and trick parts are disposed, which constitute the bearing for sinkers that cooperate with the needles.

Devices of this nature have already been proposed (German Patent application P 19 36 771.6-26) comprising needles and sinkers disposed adjacent to each other in a common slot. Such an arrangement has various drawbacks. The disposition of the sinker directly next to the needle leaves little room for the necessary cam controls for sinker and needle. The pivot point of the sinker is not advantageous, especially in the formation of short loops anchored in a base knit fabric, as difficul'ties can arise in the release of the loop from the hook of the sinker, which in this instance acts as-a loop puller bar. This is primarily because the sinker hook has not reached the deepest point of its circular motion at the moment of release of the loop. There are additional difficulties in exchanging the sinker, which operation is often not possible without prior removal of the needles. With the disposition of the sinker andthe needles-in a common slot and the resulting close arrangement of sinker and needle, there can be damage to the needle if there is damage to the sinker. Finally, it can also be a drawback that the front face of the needle is constantly applied to the moving cam parts of the sinker control, resulting in additional undesired friction.

The present inventionis addressed to the problem of alleviating the deficiencies that have been indicated, and to the proposal of a sinker bearing in which, in spite of spatial separation of the sinker fromthe needle, little space. is required and all the other advantages of a sinker are retained.

The problem is solved in terms of the invention in that on the trick portion there is provided a step-like offset bearing plate, on the one face of which, turned away from the cylinder, the sinker is borne, and on the opposite face of which, turned toward the cylinder, the needle is borne, spatially separated from the sinker.

Further characteristics and advantages are evident through the following specification and claims in'con-' junction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. I shows a partial view of the outer cylinder jacket of a circular knitting machine.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the cylinder of FIGS. I and 2, with inserted trick parts and sinkers.

FIG. 4 is an exploded representation of trick parts of the invention, with appurtenant sinker and knitting needle.

FIG. 5 is a section of a needle cylinder as in FIG. 2 with needle and sinker and appurtenant cam control.

FIG. 6 is -a section according to FIG. 5with the cam of the sinker control in another position.

FIG. 7 is an'enlarged representation of a trick part with knitting needle.

FIG. 8 is an enlargedrepresentation of an extensible bearing plate with cam guide.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of two knitting needles.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged partial view of a trick part with knife.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged partial view of a trick part with double knife.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of cutting yarn shears.

. "DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

As is shown by FIGS. 1-3, longitudinal grooves 2 are worked into the outer jacket surface of cylinder 1 of a circular knitter, between which grooves ribs 3 are sometimes at rest. On the periphery of cylinder 1 there is an annular groove 4, whose cross section configuration is seen in FIG. 2. In the longitudinal grooves 2, trick parts 5 and 6 are sometimes fixedlyintroduced as shown by FIG. 3 in the fitting seat, and, if this is necessary, they are braced so that they are held immovable, but if required, they can be taken out. Trick parts 5 and 6, shown in FIG. 4, have projections 10, which engage in the above-mentioned swallowtail groove 4. Trick part 5 has a jutting portion 18 with a notch 19, the purpose of which will be set forth later in the specification. As is apparent from FIG. 4, trick part 5 has an essentially uniform thickness, whereas in the case of trick part 6 there is disposed a bearing plate 9 on portion-8, a substantially uniform thickness offset in stages. The staged offset bearing plate 9 can also be made integrally with part 8. There is a recess 11 on bearing plate 9 and portion 8, in which recess a sinker 12 with projecting bearing tip 13 engages. Recess 11 and bearing tip 13 are preferably circular in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, so that the sinker I2 is pivotable on an arc. In the case of sinker 12, this is a loop drawing bar that has a hook l4 engaging the yarn and pulling it out to a loop upon pivoting, as is required in the manufacture of plush, frotte or knopp goods. If desired, trick parts 5 and 6 can be made of one piece, as for example plastlc.

As shown in FIG. 3, through the setting in of trick parts 5 and 6 on the cylinder jacket 1, there are developed outwardly open spaces 15 in which sinkers 12 are pivotable; In this way there is sufficient room for the bearing of not only-one but two or more sinker-s side; by-side between each two trick parts 5. The sinker 12, shown in FIG. 3, has a body that entirely fills space 15. The upper section of sinker 12 that presents hook 14 is thinner, so that in pivoting it can pass to the side of needle 17. Further, by the setting inof trick parts 5 and 6' in cylinder 1, there are developed channels 16 parallel to the cylinder axis closed on all sides, which'serve to receive loop forming needles 17. The needles are moved up and down'in a known manner by cam parts that will be described later in the specification, and slide with their front faces on the back of bearing plate 9, which back is turned toward recess I1, while the back face of the needles slides on rib 3 of the needle cylinder. In this way, needles 17 are spatially separated from sinkers l2 and do not rub on them. In the illustrated embodiment, trick parts 5 and 6, sinkers 12 and needles 17 are disposed on one needle cylinder. It is obvious, however, that these elements can be disposed on other needle guiding bodies, especially needle guiding bodies of flat knitters.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the control of sinker 12. The needle cylinder 1 is rotatably borne in a known manner and is set in motion by a drive that is not illustrated. The cylinder 1 supporting trick parts 5 and 6 with sinkers 12 and needles 17 is associated with a stationary machine frame 21 that supports a lower and an upper cam box 22, 23. The lower cam box 22 is fixed by bolts 24 to the machine frame 21, and the upper cam box 23 is fastened by bolts 25 to lower cam box 22. Above cam box 23 there is a yarn guide holder 26 fixed by retaining means (not shown) which holder supports the yarn guide tube 27 through which needle 17 is guided to the yarn (not shown) that is to be worked.

In a known way, the lower cam box supports cam parts 28, which in a way that is also known cooperate with a butt 29 on needle 17 upon rotation of cylinder 1, in such a manner that needles 17 are continuously moved up and down. Upper cam box 23 bears a cam part 31 that acts on a butt 32 of sinker l2 and pivots the sinker upon rotation of cylinder 1. Cam part3l has a cross section configuration at a specific point in FIG. 5. This cross section configuration is transformed gradually into another cross section configuration. The cam parts 31 of FIG. 5 belong to different planes. In passing from one cross section configuration to the other, cam part 31 presses on butt 32 of sinker 12 and tilts it from the starting position shown in solid lines in FIG. 5 to the position indicated by dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 5. For the guiding of sinker 12 back to the starting position, there is an additional cam part 33, which, for the sake of clarity, is only shown in FIG. 6.

Also shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is an elastic annular member 34, e.g., an endless coiled spring, which surrounds the whole periphery of cylinder 1, which is laid in the notch 19 of jutting portion 18 of trick part 5. Elastic member 34 presses sinker 12 against bearing plate 9. In addition, FIGS. 5 and 6 clearly show the spatially separated guide for sinker l2 and needle 17, which are not in frictional contact. Through the laterally shifted disposition of sinker 12 with reference to needle 17, there is sufficient room for cam parts 31 and 33 that control the sinkers. By a slight lifting of elastic member 34 at the place concerned, the sinker can be taken out of bearing plate 9 and exchanged without need to remove needle 17. The laterally shifted disposition of sinker 12 has the further effect that hook 14 of the sinker, in the area of the needle, executes a downward movement that favors release of the loop from hook 14. FIG. 5 additionally shows the worked yarn 35 at the moment of knocking over of the loop. The knocking over occurs at the upper edge of the trick part. FIG. 7 discloses a trick part 36 comprising two pieces 37 and 38. Piece 38 is rigidly connected with bearing plate 9 and can be detachably set on piece 37. The releasable connection of 37 and 38 can be effected as shown by FIG. 8 by means of a groove 39 on piece 38 in which a matching, but not visible, tongue element on piece 37 engages.

In FIG. 8 the notch 11 on bearing plate 9 which serves to bear the sinker is not circular, in contrast to the corresponding notch 11 of FIGS. 4 and 7. Notch ll of FIG. 8 is intended to cooperate with a bearing tip 13' whose shape, as shown by FIG. 9, also deviates from the circular configuration. If upon pivoting of sinker 12' according to FIG. 9, the periphery of bearing tip 13' rolls off bearing plate 9' of FIG. 8, the sinker undergoes an eccentric movement, i.e., its hook 14 is not swung on an arc but receives a translational motion component. Thereby, it is possible, depending upon the intended purpose, to effect an especially precise functioning of the sinker.

In connection with the eccentric movements of the sinker, the importance of the exchangeability of bearing plate as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 becomes clear, because depending upon the purpose to be attained, bearing plates can be selected with notches whose eccentricity is adapted exactly to the desired operation.

FIGS. 10, l1 and 12 show the working sections of other sinkers whose bearing corresponds to the previously described hook draw bar. In particular, the sinkers of FIGS. 10 to 12 can also be eccentrically borne. Cutter bar 41 of FIG. 10 has a cutting edge 42 and serves, for example, in its pivoting to cut off the loop formed by a sinker 12' of FIG. 9. Bar 41 can be borne next to a sinker 12' in a common recess 11' on bearing plate 9'. FIG. 11 shows a loop presser bar 43 in which a notch 44 adapted to the thickness of the yarn presses the yarn forward to a loop. FIG. 12 shows a knockover bar 45 where the loop is knocked over at projection 46.

FIG. 13 corresponds essentially to FIG. 5, except the cam parts illustrated there for control of the sinker are left out. In contrast to FIG. 5, bearing plate 9" has no recess, but rather a projection 47 that is enclosed by a matching concavity 48 of a sinker 49. In its tilting motion, sinker 49 rolls down with its concavity 48 on the surface of projection 47. Sinker 49 also has a slot 51 which engages elastic member 34. This affords a supplementary guide for sinker 49.

In FIG. 14, which largely corresponds to FIG. 13, projection 47 on bearing plate is not bulged in a circular configuration but has a curvature that differs in cross section. Also, recess 48 of sinker 49 is not circular, so that in the rolling down of recess 48" on the surface of projection 47 there is an eccentric motion on the part of the sinker which can be adapted by corresponding curve forms of projection 47' and recess 48' to the purpose in hand. For improvement of the guiding and bearing of sinkers 12, 49' in their eccentric pivoting motion, instead of or in addition to elastic member 34 engaged in slit 51, there can also be a single spring associated with a sinker (not shown) that urges the sinker against bearing plate.

FIG. 15' shows another modified sinker 52, which again serves for loop formation by means of a hook 14', which loops in turn are anchored in a base knit fabric produced by needles l7. Sinker 52 has widened section 53 below hook 14', e.g. of injection molded plastic, whose width A corresponds substantially to the distance between two adjacent needles 17', shown in FIG. 7. In this way, upon release of the loop formed by hook 14, the loop no longer swings back to be undesirably reengaged by hook 14'.

Instead of cutting off the loop anchored in a basic knit fabric by means of a cutter bar 41, as in FIG. 10, stationary blades can also be used, disposed on trick parts 5, as shown by FIGS. 17 and 18. The blades here cut the loop if it is drawn by the sinker over the cutting edge of the knife. FIG. 17 shows a knife 54 with a single cutting edge and FIG. 18 a double knife 55 with two cutting edges, where the yarn to be cut is taken through the slit constituted by the two cutting edges. Knives 54 and 55 can be fixedly or removably attached to trick parts 5'. In the latter instance, there is a plurality of holes 56 on trick parts 5. Knife 54 or 55 is set on trick part 5 in such a way that two holes 57 on the knife are aligned with two specific holes 56, whereupon the knife is held by insertion of pins 59 as shown in FIG. 17 or the like in the trick parts. In this way the position of knife 54 or 55 on the upper edge of trick part 5 is freely selectable, and thereby the place at which the yam-cutting occurs is also freely selectable.

FIG. 19 shows schematically a shears 61 for cutting the yarn, which shears, e.g., like knife 54, 55 of FIGS. l7, 18, can also be set on trick part5. Shears 61 of FIG. 19 have a fixed blade member 62 on which a blade member 64 is pivotably borne by means of a pin 63 or the like. A tension spring 60 engages blade member 64 with one of its ends, the other end of the spring being fixed on, e.g.,*a short stud or the like on fixed blade member 62. The action of spring 60 on blade member 64 is such that it is pivoted counterclockwise, FIG. 19, hence opened. Eccentrically to the pivot point of blade member 64, there is a coupling element 65 which at its free end bears a pin 66 that projects to either side. Pin 66 is guided with one of its free ends in slit 67 on fixed blade 62. On the opposite free end of pin 66 there engages a downwardly directed shoulder 68 of sinker 52 shown in FIG. together with widening 53. When sinker 52 is pivoted, shoulder 68 sliding over pin 66 pushes the pin downward and thereby pivots the movable blade member 64 downward to cut the yarn. After return of sinker 52 to its initial position, spring 60 guides blade member 64 back. Moreover, shears 61 need not be actuated by a sinker. There can also be pneumatic, hydraulic or electromagnetic means provided for this.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is understood that the invention is not limited to such an embodiment, since it may be otherwise embodied in the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the production of knit goods, comprising a needle guiding body, a plurality of reciprocating loop forming needles carried by said needle guiding body, a plurality of first and second trick parts mounted in said body, said first trick parts having a uniform thickness, said second trick parts having a bearing means adapted to hold tilting sinkers thereto, a plurality of tilting sinkers having bearing faces and arranged to cooperate with said needles, said bearing means comprising at least one portion of said second trick parts and stepped offset bearing plates mounted to said portion of each of said second trick parts, said bearing plates and said portion of said second trick parts forming pivots for said bearing faces of said tilting sinkers, said bearing faces of said tilting sinkers being pivotably mounted on the side of said bearing plates which face away from said needle guiding body, said needles reciprocating in completely enclosed slots on the side of each of said bearing plates facing toward said needle guiding body, said needles being spacially separated from the bearing faces of said tilting sinkers by said bearing plates, and the sides of said slots being defined by said portion of said second trick parts, by said side of said bearing plates facing toward said needle guiding body, by one side of said first trick parts and by said needle guiding body.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said needle guiding body is a cylinder.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing plate defines a recess in which said sinker is pivotally borne.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said sinkers have projecting tips, which are pivotally carried in said recess.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing plates have a projection on which said sinkers are pivotally mounted.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the configuration of said bearing plate projection imparts an eccentric motion to said sinker.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sinkers have a projecting tip having a configuration causing them to move eccentrically.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing plates are exchangeable and are removably mounted on said second trick parts.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said bearing plates are exchangeably mounted on said second parts by tongue and groove means.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first trick parts have a jutting portion defining a notch, said notch receiving an elastic element which urges each of said sinkers against each of said bearing plates.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said elastic element is an endless helical spring.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each sinker is a loop puller bar comprising a hook and a widened portion below said hook, said widened portion substantially filling the entire space between two adjacent loop forming needles.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said widened portion is plastic.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein blades are mounted on said first trick parts for the cutting of loops formed by said sinkers.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein shears are mounted on said first trick parts for cutting off yarn, said shears being actuated by said movably mounted sinkers.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said shears comprise a fixed blade member and a movable blade member pivotably connected to said fixed blade member,a coupling element mounted eccentrically to the pivot point of said movable blade member and having a free end bearing a pin, said pin being guiding by a slit defined by said fixed blade member.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, including spring means having one end connected to said fixed blade member and the other end connected to said movable blade member to pivot said movable blade member.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said coupling element is activated by the movement of a sinker to pivot the movable blade member.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said shears are removably mounted on said trick parts.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said blades are removably mounted on said trick parts. 

1. An apparatus for the production of knit goods, comprising a needle guiding body, a plurality of reciprocating loop forming needles carried by said needle guiding body, a plurality of first and second trick parts mounted in said body, said first trick parts having a uniform thickness, said second trick parts having a bearing means adapted to hold tilting sinkers thereto, a plurality of tilting sinkers having bearing faces and arranged to cooperate with said needles, said bearing means comprising at least one portion of said second trick parts and stepped offset bearing plates mounted to said portion of each of said second trick parts, said bearing plates and said portion of said second trick parts forming pivots for said bearing faces of said tilting sinkers, said bearing faces of said tilting sinkers being pivotably mounted on the side of said bearing plates which face away from said needle guiding body, said needles reciprocating in completely enclosed slots on the side of each of said bearing plates facing toward said needle guiding body, said needles being spacially separated from the bearing faces of said tilting sinkers by said bearing plates, and the sides of said slots being defined by said portion of said second trick parts, by said side of said bearing plates facing toward said needle guiding body, by one side of said first trick parts and by said needle guiding body.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said needle guiding body is a cylinder.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing plate defines a recess in which said sinker is pivotally borne.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said sinkers have projecting tips, which are pivotally carried in said recess.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing plates have a projection on which said sinkers are pivotally mounted.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the configuration of said bearing plate projection imparts an eccentric motion to said sinker.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sinkers have a projecting tip having a configuration causing them to move eccentrically.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing plates are exchangeable and are removably mounted on said second trick parts.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said bearing plates are exchangeably mounted on said second parts by tongue and groove means.
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first trick parts have a jutting portion defining a notch, said notch receiVing an elastic element which urges each of said sinkers against each of said bearing plates.
 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said elastic element is an endless helical spring.
 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each sinker is a loop puller bar comprising a hook and a widened portion below said hook, said widened portion substantially filling the entire space between two adjacent loop forming needles.
 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said widened portion is plastic.
 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein blades are mounted on said first trick parts for the cutting of loops formed by said sinkers.
 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein shears are mounted on said first trick parts for cutting off yarn, said shears being actuated by said movably mounted sinkers.
 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said shears comprise a fixed blade member and a movable blade member pivotably connected to said fixed blade member, a coupling element mounted eccentrically to the pivot point of said movable blade member and having a free end bearing a pin, said pin being guiding by a slit defined by said fixed blade member.
 17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, including spring means having one end connected to said fixed blade member and the other end connected to said movable blade member to pivot said movable blade member.
 18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said coupling element is activated by the movement of a sinker to pivot the movable blade member.
 19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said shears are removably mounted on said trick parts.
 20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said blades are removably mounted on said trick parts. 